of chapel hill



A. F. COBB.

' Bee Hive.

N0. 76.999. Patented April 21. 1868.

Fig.1.

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: E Ze N. PETERS. PHUTG-LITMOGHAFHER. WASHINGTON D C Intent ffirr.

A. F. COBB, OF CHAPEL HILL, MISSOURI Letters Patent No. 76,999,0Zated April .21, 1868.

. IMPROVEMENT IN BEE-HIVES.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

.Be it known that .I,.A. F. COBB, of Chapel Hill, in the county of Lafayette, and State of Missouri, have invented a new and improved Bee-Hive; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisspecification.

This invention consists in constructing a bee-hive of metal, and coating the'same internally with plaster of Paris and beeswax, as hereinafter fully shown and described, whereby the'ravages of-the moth, so destructive to bees, are fully guarded against, and,'at the same time, a very economical and durable-hive obtained, and one which may be kept well ventilated at a uniform temperature, or warm in winter and cool in summer.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings- Figure 1 is a front elevation offmy invention, partly in section.

Figure 2, a plan or. top View of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A represents the body or main portion of the hive, which may be of cylindrical oiother form, and of any suitable dimensions.

The body or main portion A is constructed of metal sheet iron will probably be used-.well ooiiered with paint externally, or galvanized, in order to prevent oxidation. I

Internally, I design to apply a coat of paint, and, when-the paint is dry, I apply acoat of plastcrlof Paris, a, and, after the latter has set, a coat of melted beeswax, b, is applied.

The plaster of Paris, being a poor conductor of heat, serves to keep the interior ot the hive cool in summer I and warm in winter, while the beeswax is designed to render the hive agreeableto the bees, enabling them to climb or travel up the sides thereof without any diilicultywhatever. I

The lower end ofthe hive is entirely open, and may, if desired, be covered with a screen or wire cloth,,and placed upon a stone slab' or other suitable base. I

It (the hive) has a series of holes, 0, perforated in its side, near its lower end, to seive as bee-entrances, which are directly over a semicircular horizontal flan'ge or projection, d, attached to the exterior of the hive, to serve as an alighting-board; and below this flange there is a series of smaller perforations, c, for the purpose of ventilation.

During the winter season, when it is necessary to close or stop up the bee-entrances c, the smaller perforations 8 will admit air suiiicient to keep the hire in a properly-ventilatcd state. i i

To the upper part of the body or main portion A of the hive, at opposite points on its exterior, there are secured curved rods, B B, the upper ends of which have screw-threads cut on them to receive nuts I The upper ends of these rods, when the hive is not supplied with a .spare-honeybox, as in fig. 2, pass' through a bar, 0, one near each end of the latter, said bur resting or bearing on a lid or cover, D, which is firmly secured on the hive by screwing down the nuts ff. 4 I

When a spare-honey box, E, is applied, as shown in fig. 1, the upper ends of the rods B B pass through lugs F F, attached to the exterior of E, the nuts ff, by being screwed down, firmly securing the spare-honey box on the hive.

In consequence of having the hive constructed of metal, there is no crack or crevice in which the mothmiller can deposit its eggs, and the bees, consequently, will be protected from the ravages of that insect. V

I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent A bee-hive, constructed of metal, and having its inner surface coated with plaster of Paris andbeeswax, substantially in the manner as and for the purpose set forth.

A F. COBB. Witnesses;

IsAAc H. W001), A. B. Hnanronn. 

